1 As he went out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him,
“Teacher, see what kind of stones and what kind of buildings!”
2 Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not
be left here one stone on another, which will not be thrown down.”
3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James,
John, and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things
be? What is the sign that these things are all about to be fulfilled?”
5 Jesus, answering, began to tell them, “Be careful that no one leads
you astray. 6 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am
he!*1 ’ and will lead many astray.
7 “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, don’t be troubled. For
those must happen, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against
nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various
places. There will be famines and troubles. These things are the beginning of
birth pains. 9 But watch yourselves, for they will deliver you up to
councils. You will be beaten in synagogues. You will stand before
rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them. 10 The gospel must
first be preached to all the nations. 11 When they lead you away and
deliver you up, don’t be anxious beforehand, or premeditate what you
will say, but say whatever will be given you in that hour. For it is not
you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.
12 “Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child.
Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death.
13 You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who
endures to the end, the same will be saved. 14 But when you see the
abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it
ought not (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee
to the mountains, 15 and let him who is on the housetop not go down, nor
enter in, to take anything out of his house. 16 Let him who is in the
field not return back to take his cloak. 17 But woe to those who are with
child and to those who nurse babies in those days! 18 Pray that your
flight won’t be in the winter. 19 For in those days there will be
oppression, such as there has not been the like from the beginning of the
creation which God created until now, and never will be. 20 Unless the
Lord had shortened the days, no flesh would have been saved; but for the
elect’s sake, whom he chose, he shortened the days. 21 Then if anyone
tells you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, there!’ don’t believe it.
22 For there will arise false christs and false prophets, and will show
signs and wonders, that they may lead astray, if possible, even the chosen
ones. 23 But you watch.
“Behold, I have told you all things beforehand. 24 But in those days,
after that oppression, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its
light, 25 the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers that are
in the heavens will be shaken. 26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming
in clouds with great power and glory. 27 Then he will send out his angels,
and will gather together his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the
earth to the ends of the sky.
28 “Now from the fig tree, learn this parable. When the branch has now
become tender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that the summer is
near; 29 even so you also, when you see these things coming to
pass, know that it is near, at the doors. 30 Most assuredly I say to
you, this generation*2 will not pass away
until all these things happen. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my
words will not pass away. 32 But of that day or that hour no one knows,
not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
33 Watch, keep alert, and pray; for you don’t know when the time
is.
34 “It is like a man, traveling to another country, having left his house,
and given authority to his servants, and to each one his work, and also
commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch. 35 Watch therefore, for you
don’t know when the lord of the house is coming, whether at evening, or at
midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning; 36 lest coming
suddenly he might find you sleeping. 37 What I tell you, I tell all:
Watch.”
1 Literally, “I AM!” 2 The word translated “generation” (genea) could
also be translated “race,” “family,” or “people.”
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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